Ohio Neo-Nazi Sentenced To 18 Years For Hate Crime Firebombing Of Church That Was To Host Drag Events

January 30, 2024 Christianists, Extremists

From the Justice Department:

An Ohio man was sentenced to 216 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for attempting to burn down a church because of its support for the LGBTQ+ community.

Aimenn D. Penny, 20, of Alliance, Ohio, was arrested and charged last year with one count of violating the Church Arson Prevention Act, one count of using fire to commit a federal felony, one count of malicious use of explosive materials, and one count of possessing a destructive device.

On Oct. 23, 2023, Penny pleaded guilty to the church arson hate crime and using fire and explosives to commit a felony.

According to court documents, on March 25, 2023, Penny made Molotov cocktails and drove to the Community Church of Chesterland (CCC), in Chesterland, Ohio. Angered by the church’s plan to host two drag events the following weekend, Penny threw two Molotov cocktails at the church, hoping to burn it to the ground.

Through Penny’s guilty plea, he admitted to using force through fire and explosives, intending to obstruct CCC congregants in their enjoyment and expression of their religious beliefs.

“This sentence holds Mr. Penny accountable for carrying out violence against an Ohio church because he disagreed with the way congregants chose to express their beliefs,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

“Such acts of extremist violence have no place in our communities and the Justice Department is committed to bringing to justice those who would use or threaten violence to prevent their fellow citizens from freely exercising their fundamental rights.”

From my April 2023 report:

The FBI reported finding a Nazi flag, a White Lives Matter of Ohio T-shirt, and other hateful memorabilia in Penny’s home. Well before the Molotov cocktail strike, authorities say, Penny showed up to another drag queen event on March 11, where members of White Lives Matter were carrying “swastika flags and shouting racial and homophobic slurs and ‘Heil Hitler.’”

Law & Crime reports:



At Monday’s sentencing hearing, Penny did not apologize and maintained that he committed the act in an effort to “protect the children,” the Columbus Dispatch reported. He reportedly said he’s against men dressing as women and vice versa. “Especially in a place of worship,” Penny said. “I didn’t hurt anyone.”

He also said he was doing “God’s work” and his only regret was the church didn’t burn to the ground. Penny’s arrest didn’t stop his anti-LGBTQ rhetoric.

Feds intercepted a letter he tried to send from jail to fellow White Lives Matter group members urging them to firebomb the Akron Civic Center which also was hosting a drag queen event, the memo stated. He even gave them the recipe he used for the Molotov cocktails, prosecutors said.

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